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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24913900">Sickbay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffrindyddraig/pseuds/ffrindyddraig'>ffrindyddraig</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:14:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24913900</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffrindyddraig/pseuds/ffrindyddraig</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Julian Bashir fled Earth three years ago. He still ended up on Deep Space Nine anyway.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sickbay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I love the possibilities for Bashir's genetic enhancement plot, and I love Sisko in difficult political situations so this was born.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Commander Sisko, can you report to sickbay?"</p>
<p>Sisko looked up from the long damage report just sent in, frowning. The message had come in through his comm. badge rather than the station's built in radio, that, like most of the systems, had been sabotaged by the Cardassians as they retreated. What they had left was more a heap of metal floating in space than a working hub of activity. It would take months for them to be running at full capacity again. He did not envy the chief engineer.</p>
<p>He wondered if he could check out the problem later - transferring here was hardly easy - but quickly dismissed the thought. He doubted his CMO would disturb him unless it was vital. Doctor Amoros had been stationed on various star ships for the last forty years, clearly searching for one last quiet job before he retired his commission. His list of references was a mile long and all positive, except for the latest one, given by his old friend Dax, who told him watching paint dry was more interesting. The doctor would not call for Sisko unless it was important.</p>
<p>The Commander stood, stretching out the kinks already forming in his back, and with a quick "coming" barked into his badge, walked to sick bay. Everywhere was a hive of activity. The Bajorans, while willing, were not trained, and the skeleton team of Starfleet staff were clearly stressed as they tried to teach and repair systems they did not fully understand themselves. It had quickly become clear Cardassian technology refused to play nicely with the alien systems they were trying to route in. <em>Much</em>, Sisko thought drily, <em>like the Cardassians themselves</em>.</p>
<p>The lift, jerky and slow, took him to the promenade, the fleeing masses mostly gone as the unpacking Ferengi glared at him. Sisko ignored him, entering sickbay. Like most of the station it was in a state of disrepair, teams scattered about here and there, all looking busy. Upon seeing him Doctor Amoros quickly finished talking to the small collection of nurses he would be leading. Shaking his head, he approached.</p>
<p>"I doubt even one of them has had a day of formal training." His voice was not accusing, but sad. Sisko could understand the feeling, but more than that was the anger he felt every time he saw the pain etched into the natives' faces. For sixty years Starfleet had let this happen. He had read the reports, Bajor had been a deeply spiritual people before, peaceful and kind. Now they were angry and bitter. And Sisko could not fault them for it. These rules Starfleet prided themselves on could seem downright monstrous to those on the receiving end.</p>
<p>He pushed all that away, raising an eyebrow. "That is why you called me down?"</p>
<p>Doctor Amoros looked at him like he had grown another head. "Of course not! They have experience, and a much better knowledge of their psychology than anything I have on file. No, come this way." He began to herd Sisko towards the back. "Do you recall in the reports the station said they already had a fully qualified doctor aboard?"</p>
<p>Sisko nodded. They had assured them they needed no extra help in the infirmary, but Starfleet had insisted. Something about Federation standard medicine, and safety practices for their people. And, of course, the fact their doctor was currently in no fit condition to heal anyone. "He was injured."</p>
<p>"Near death." Amoros agreed. He had brought them to the ICU. It held only one patient at the far end, hooked up to monitors that beeped softly.</p>
<p>"He's not going to make it?" The Bajorans won't like that, nor Starfleet. At best it didn't send a good impression of them, at worse, they might think they were trying to oppose themselves over the natives.</p>
<p>"Nothing like that. In fact, his regenerative abilities are quite impressive. Hardly a surprise, considering..." He trailed off with a shake of his head, face twisted like he had eaten something sour.</p>
<p>"Considering what?" They reached the bed, Sisko unable to hide his gasp as he saw the figure. Young, under thirty, and smoothed nose. "He's human. What is a human doing so far away from Earth during an occupation?"</p>
<p>Amoros shook his head. "Not quite."</p>
<p>"Explain." Sisko was liking this less and less.</p>
<p>"Three years ago there was rather a large scandal in Starfleet." Three years ago, after the battle. No wonder Sisko had no memory of it. He motioned for the doctor to carry on, ignoring the surprise on his face. Clearly he had thought Sisko would know the rest already. "An augment had managed to apply for Starfleet. He was discovered."</p>
<p>Sisko took another look at the man in front of him. He did not look like a Khan. Then again, he had read Kirk's reports at the academy, and apparently Khan had not looked much like a Khan until he woke up.</p>
<p>"Julian Bashir was never found." Amoros finished.</p>
<p>"Until now." The doctor nodded, grimly. This was worse than he thought. "Are you sure it's him?" Grasping at straws. The Bajoran government won't like this at all.</p>
<p>"I checked three times."</p>
<p>"Damn." He ran a hand over his face.</p>
<p>"You are not taking him." Sisko managed not to jump, Amoros was not so lucky.</p>
<p>Major Kira was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest. She was a small woman, yet unmoveable. She did not like the Federation, not him. A sentiment felt through all of the Bajorans, even the government that had invited them to the station. They need protection, they expected another occupation.</p>
<p>"He is a wanted fugative." Sisko suspected she already knew, with Odo in charge how could she not? He did not have any illusions that the fact would change her mind, and was not surprised when it did not. She glared at him, all fire and hate. A weaker man would have needed to step back.</p>
<p>"He's a hero." She corrected. "While you watched our pain safe on Earth, he helped us."</p>
<p>"You knew him?" Amoros asked. He, too, did not wither under her gaze. Those in the 'Fleet were made of tougher stuff than the average man. A necessity, Sisko suspected, on this station.</p>
<p>"I've heard the stories. There would be a lot less of my people walking around today if he hadn't been here."</p>
<p>"He helped cardassians too." She shrugged, unbothered. It was strange, the lines she drew : Odo and Bashir, who both worked for the enemy, was seen as heroes, while Quark, an independent third party who gave them safe jobs and sold food to the workers for no profit, was a monster.</p>
<p>"The doctor on the station before? She was cardassian. Spat on the injured and sick who worked in processing. Even if someone could pay, it was doubtful they survived the 'treatment'. She only saved collaborators." She spat out that last word, like it burnt her mouth. "He helped anyone, if they could pay or not."</p>
<p>"Do you know what he is?" Not that she would even understand genetic engineering, the troubles people like Bashir had caused on his home world.</p>
<p>"A damn better man than you are."</p>
<p>"He's not human." Sisko sucked in his breath as Amoros spoke, seeing the mistake the man had made before he had even finished speaking. From the way the doctor's face paled, he saw it too.</p>
<p>"In this sector, you'll find few who are." She spoke calmly, like ice. It was more terrifying than any shouting.</p>
<p>"I didn't mean - " he began.</p>
<p>"Yes." Kira said, firmly. "You did. You took one look at his DNA and decided he was a criminal. A lowlife. <em>Less</em> than you."</p>
<p>"We don't put people in prison for being different." Sisko corrected. "It is illegal for genetically enhanced human to join Starfleet, or practice medicine."</p>
<p>Kira snorted, like a bull before it charged. "So you just control their lives? Say what they can and can't do? Just like you're going to do with us."</p>
<p>Sisko stood up straighter, eyes flashing with their own fire. It was one thing to question Federation law - it was always unwise to <em>not</em> question your government - but to claim they were oppressors? "No. We will not put any restrictions on your people. Bajorans can already join Starfleet if they desire. But this man is a Federation citizen. He is bound by our laws."</p>
<p>"Your unjust laws." She hissed. "Asylum will be granted for him."</p>
<p>"He is in no state to apply." Amoros pointed out.</p>
<p>"I doubt that will stop the Major, doctor." Sisko said, before turning back to the woman. "But do you really think your government will risk its relationship with the Federation for the sake of one man? Bajor needs to be building bridges, not burning them."</p>
<p>"Maybe you don't know my people as well as you think." She spoke confidently, but Sisko could hear the doubt lying underneath. The provisional government was hardly stable, not nearly as predictable as the people would like. Scared and easily swayed, prone to in fighting. But if the Kai was on her side...</p>
<p>"I'll take it up with my superiors."</p>
<p>"As I will with mine." With one last glare she left the room, head held high. The moment she left, Sisko sighed, slouching, rubbing his hand over his face. The doctor looked just as tired as him.</p>
<p>"Damn." Sisko finally said, ignoring Amoros' sympathetic gaze. He composed himself, standing taller. "Keep an eye on him."Keep an eye on him."</p>
<p>The doctor nodded. "Aye Sir."</p>
<p>Sisko left, steps slightly heavier than when he came in. Running this station was going to be far from simple.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Amoros was the original name that Bashir was going to have. Also, I always imagined if a doctor was going to move to a station in the middle of nowhere it would probably be because he wanted a quiet end to his career - which, because it's Star Trek, was never gonna happen - hence why Amoros is old. And with a name like that I can't help but imagine him as an French ex-football player, but that's just me.<br/>Thanks for reading.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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